


Uni Days

by Celebrusc



Series: The Prince and the Rogue [9]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers Wild Force
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Implied Torture, Not as dark as the tags make it seem, University, and uni is hard enough on its own, but being a ranger isn't all sunshine and roses, loss of limb, pov alyssa, the choices your making aren't the ones you think you are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-08 10:53:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8841766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celebrusc/pseuds/Celebrusc
Summary: They say the friends you make at uni, are the friends you have for life. That these are the days that shape the road ahead of you. Alyssa isn't sure that's true for everyone, but looking back, it certainly was for her.They also say that Power calls to Power, that Rangers always know their own, even when they don't realise it. She finds she can't argue with that either.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this somehow got filed under ‘happy’ and ‘bubbly’ in my head? Honestly the overall tone is more sad than anything, and if you look too closely, a little depressing. Even if it does end on a happy note.
> 
>  
> 
> Primarily a record of Alyssa's life between 2005 and 2009, it hints at several other events happening in the tPatR universe. Still, you shouldn't need to be familiar with tPatR to enjoy it.  
> I've not got much more to say about this one. It's unbeta'd, and I couldn't find the name of Alyssa's father's Dojo, though if anyone can remember it please let me know.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

Monday, 1st of August, 2005

 

“Is this seat taken?”

Snapping out of her day dream Alyssa glanced over to the boy patiently hovering at the end of the aisle. “No, sorry. Please, go ahead.” She stammered as she grabbed her bag from the last seat and lowered it to the floor.

“It’s fine. Didn’t want to intrude if you wanted the space.”

No sooner had he settled down, a ridiculously slender black, no make that navy, laptop open in front of him, than the lecturer started. Alyssa felt so luddite with her pens and paper, especially as she hurried to keep up with the speed their professor was going at.

The next time they spoke was when the register passed their seats, and the brunet nudged her with a shy embarrassed whisper. “Any chance I chance I could borrow a pen?”

Alyssa laughed softly and passed one over, suddenly not fooling so foolish with her old fashioned paper and ink after all.

The third time she heard the voice was after she had left the lecture theatre, and was making her way across the quad, head buzzing with new terms and trying to plan out her schedule.

“Hey, Tiger, wait up!”

She turned, recognising the voice this time, and waited for her gangly classmate to catch up, a scowl on her face. He grinned as he same to a halt. “You forgot this.” She blinked, then realised he was holding out her pen. A pink pen, decorated with white Siberian tigers. “I forgot to introduce myself earlier, Justin Stewart.” He offered his other hand to shake.

“Thank you, and it’s Alyssa, not tiger.”

“As you say.” He responded still smiling, until his watched beeped. He glanced at it and gave an abrupt curse. “Guess I’ll see you on wednesday. It was lovely meeting you.”

Before she got the chance to respond he had taken off at a run.

 

True to his word though, he was back in the same seat on wednesday, waiting. He didn’t bring a pen that time either.

As the weeks passed, she got to know Justin quite well. He was primarily studying computing and robotics,(which explained the laptop) with a side in biology (at his guardian’s insistence). Justin didn’t talk much about his parents, though his Dad was an engineer of some sort, but chatted readily about his friends and guardian. He drank his coffee black, and consumed more energy drinks than was probably safe whilst on campus. Justin was also, to her delight an avid martial art enthusiast.

When she missed a couple of days with freshers flu, he promptly handed her a transcription of the lectures. Without her saying a word. He waved away her thanks, but kept her pen. “Just in case it happened again.”

 

Monday, 3rd of October 

It was in the second month of term, as she waited patiently for Justin before their afternoon lecture in the quad, that Justin missed his first class. Instead, just as she was about to have to give up on him and leave, she heard an unfamiliar shout. “Alyssa, Alyssa Enrilé?” All she could remember about the whirlwind that had fought its way across the crowds after her was that he had the most ridiculous gold tipped hair. “Justin’s Tiger?” He clarified after he had got his breath back.

She scowled. Nothing she had done had made Justin stop with that stupid nickname. He didn’t mean it maliciously, and after the second day, he had asked if it really bothered her. She’d kicked him in response, but hadn’t said anything, so he’d continued. She just hadn’t realised it had _spread_.

“Name’s Fred. Listen Justin is going to be out of class all week, you guys share biological stuff right.”

“Yes,”

“Here,”He handed her a small device, it looked like a camera, but far too small. “Can you sit that on the desk and press the green button. It’ll record the class. Red to stop.” More confused than anything, Alyssa nodded. “Thanks. Shit I’m going to be late.”

As soon as he’d appeared the guy was gone.

Alyssa didn’t understand the device, but it was easy enough to use. When Justin showed back up a week, later he looked horrible. His eyes were black from exhaustion, and there were a tenderness to way he moved. For a boy that never dropped anything, never tripped or knocked into anyone, Justin was a complete klutz that week. He lost his grip on more things than he didn’t. He ran into people left right and centre, and his eyes were constantly trying to glare a hole in his cell phone.

That didn’t stop him from thanking her profusely when she handed him the recorder, nor did she fail to notice he kept using it.

They met to work on their coursework, but Justin’s concentration was blatantly elsewhere. He slowly lost weight, not that he hadn’t been skinny in the first place, and after the third time he fell asleep in the library, having forgotten to bring dinner, Alyssa started bring food for him.

His smile had been grateful bliss. He’d tried to refuse, but she’d insisted it was what friends were for. He’d tried to pay her; she’d refused. Only to discover that a) his coordination wasn’t that bad and b) he had a few skills he had neglected to mention. That he’d gone to the effort to pickpocket the money into her purse made her smile though, and resolved to keep a better eye on his fingers.

The food was what had finally got her at least part of an answer. Initially all that he had done when she had asked about the obvious problem was purse his lips and shake his head. After that he admitted that he was worried about his foster cousin, Silvy, but that after a week his Guardian had insisted to return to college.

That didn’t explain everything, but it was a start. And certainly accounted for the hawk eyed gaze on his phone.

The watchfulness didn’t leave, but by the time Halloween rolled around Justin was almost back to his old self. There he said there had been no change in Silvy’s condition, though what that was he was still tight lipped about.

Finally, out of sheer desperation for a break from writing a particularly annoying essay, she asked if Justin wanted to spar. His eyes lit up like candles. He rapidly packed away his stuff, and stood furiously texting whilst he waited for her to tidy up. As soon as her bag was packed, he grabbed her hand and started hauling her through campus.

The studio he dragged her to, was small and well used. But just as obviously well loved. It was also occupied. Another lanky brunet in a green shirt was perched on a table, typing away on a laptop very similar to Justin’s. Sprawled at his feet, wittering away at a mile a minute, dressed in red, was the gold spiked guy from the previous month.

“I’ve got us another victim,”

The guy on the counter looked up from his laptop at Justin declaration. “You could attempt to sound more creepy you know.”

“Maybe.” Justin grinned. “Alyssa, I’d like you to meet Cam Watanabe, the ill mannered lout on the floor is Fred Kelman. Guys, this is Alyssa Enrilé. She was looking for someone to spar with.”

Cam blinked, and narrowed his eyes, at the same time Alyssa started at his name. “Not the _insertnamehere_ dojo Enrilés?”

Alyssa nodded. “The Wind Watanabes?”

“Ye,” Cam sighed. Justin blinked. “You two know each other?”

“Only the family, and only by reputation.” Cam answered, putting the computer to the side and sliding to his feet to give a short bow. “It is an honour.”

Alyssa returned the favour.

It turned into one of her best evenings all term, and soon became a regular occurrence.

Christmas rolled around, along with exams and the realisation that Alyssa had missed all of their birthdays. Justin bought her a blue pen with racing cars on it to replace the one he’d stolen, and a cuddly Siberian tiger cub with a pink bow around its neck.

The holidays themselves meant family and stress. Her father was on her back about the dojo, again. She didn’t dare mention Cam, who had also been summoned home. Justin disappeared completely, she had learned not to ask too many questions. They never got answered. Fred dragged her out for a couple of walks, and his face took on a resigned pinched expression when Justin finally showed up in their studio, a mess of bruises, and looking even more tired than when he left. Cam just attacked the punching bag until Fred put a on the Holy Grail, and they all pile on top of each other.

By the time class started the next day Justin’s bruises had miraculously healed, but he still looked tired. It was Fred who dragged Alyssa into helping organise the surprise party for Cam, a month after his birthday had passed. (None of them had been stupid enough to challenge his father to have it over the holidays).

It was in class the following Thursday afternoon, that Justin’s phone finally rang. Ignoring the glare from the professor, he answered it there and then. His face went ashen white within seconds. Without even a glance back Justin bolted from the lecture hall, leaving behind his laptop and books.

Alyssa went round to his room after class, but all that she learned was that his hall mates hadn’t seen him. Eventually, she took the stuff around to the studio, and texted the others. Neither of them knew what had happened, but both agreed that it probably had to do with Silvy. The “Trouble magnet” that Cam muttered under his breath made Alyssa push for details on the mysterious cousin, and finally she found out the four had gone to school together.

Trouble magnet did seem to suit the younger girl as a description, Fred even dragged up some old music videos on Justin’s laptop, to Cam’s horror.

Finally, about midnight, Cam’s phone pinged. ‘Silv’s alive. in Cryo’

Beyond the alive comment, Alyssa wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, because the obvious meaning was cryogenic storage and that wasn’t possible. Both Cam and Fred’s faces had turned grim.

“Life support.” Fred explained after a moment.

“The most advanced life support there is.” Cam clarified. “Looks like we’re taking notes again.”

 

Cam’s observation turned out to accurate, as they didn’t see or hear from Justin for two weeks. The sober mood that hung over the friends didn’t stop Fred from asking Alyssa out for Valentine’s Day though. He’d apparently been planning it since Christmas break, and Justin would have murdered him if he’d not followed through. Despite everything Alyssa had a wonderful time, and the two became a couple.

When Justin finally returned on the 25th, he looked more tired than ever. But the constant worry had finally faded. Silvy was fine, she was getting treatment. Everything would be okay. Alyssa wondered who he was trying to reassure, but he seemed confident, and happy for the first time in months. So she didn’t push.

Spring exams rolled around, and then finals. Fred and Alyssa broke off their relationship, but soon easily returned to being friends. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don’t.

 

Year 2 

Alyssa found herself working all summer, and once again Justin disappeared off the face of the earth. Cam met up with her a few times, as did Fred at first. But no one heard from him after July rolled in, and when term started back in September he was nowhere to be found. Cam was as clueless as her, but Justin was being that annoying tight lipped he had been with Silvy, and that told Alyssa he knew more than her.

She finally met Silvy. Blonde, green eyed and smiling, wearing an emerald summer dress, and a lighter coloured open shirt. The girl was devastating in the ring, and sheer beauty with a blade. She didn’t stay, but swapped numbers with Alyssa, and stopped by to stay with her cousin regularly.

The year passed without too much drama, Silvy sharing her fascination with the old myths and love of music. Justin disappearing for the odd day or week here and there.

Fred finally showed up, briefly, at Christmas. Alyssa almost wished she hadn’t seen him. His once sure hands were constantly shaking, and his perpetual grin was gone. Gold spikes faded, hair lying unkept and lank. His body had the fresh scars she had learned to look for with Justin. There was no way he was sleeping, and nightmares clearly haunted those once laughing eyes. So she did the only thing she knew how, she brought food, put on the Holy Grail, and phoned Cam, Justin, and Silvy to form a snuggle pile.

Silvy had tears in her eyes as she’d grabbed Fred into a fierce hug. The “Finally” and “I wish it hadn’t been like this” whispered she ignored as best she could. They were obviously not meant for her ears. But she couldn’t help notice the way Cam kept careful watch that night, or the way Silvy twitched in her sleep. T-shirt shifting to reveal what looked like claw marks. She wondered what her friends were into that they came home so broken.

Summer came back around, and the attacks on the city started, but they were few and far between. Alyssa was grateful for her regular sparring with the others, but she wasn’t too worried, there were reports of a Power Ranger to match those of the monsters.

 

Year 3 

Summer passed much as before, though this time Fred showed back up to stay just before the anniversary of his initial disappearance. He was still tired, there were still too many shadows in his eyes, but his smile was back. That was the important thing, even if his wardrobe now mostly seemed to consist of black. At least it didn’t clash with his recently restored hair.

Third year was even worse than the previous two for the work load, and she found herself struggling a little. Fred was back in his second year, Cam and Justin spend more time in the robotics labs than anything else. This time they all stood up to their families and made it back in time to celebrate New Year together. Silvy dragging a couple of friends: K’ and Richard, with her. In the following months Alyssa would draw on the memories of that night for strength, as the time she used to spend with her friends slipped away from her.

For it was on the first of Febuary that she met Taylor Earhart, Princess Shayla, and the Tiger Zord. After that everything changed.

She stopped hanging out at the studio, and a started hanging out on the Animerium. It was hard to make excuses to leave, or for injuries, so she didn’t go, and slowly withdrew from her friends. She still studied for exams with them, but it slowly got harder. They’d been struggling as it was that term, Justin having shifted module so he didn’t have lectures with her.

But she wasn’t that withdrawn not to notice the day just over a week after she’d claimed her morpher that Justin showed up with tear stains and a raging fury in his eyes. Silvy glued to his side, a vicious snarl the likes of which she’d never seen (except for maybe that org) twisting the girl’s lips.

At the same time, a furious pleasure. The tear stains faded, and Silvy slipped away, but the banked anger became such a part of Justin’s features that she soon stopped seeing it. If it had happened any earlier she would have pushed, tried to sooth it. Now she didn’t have time.

 

Year 4 

Coal came in August, on the tail of another summer of excuses to the others, and with his arrival her new family was cemented. She tried not to miss the nights curled up on the battered old sofa watching projections from Justin’s laptop. Fred’s arm over her shoulders, Cam’s back resting against her knees.

Instead she cooked for Coal, and Taylor, Max, and Danny. She pestered Max about his education, and helped Coal research his parents. Traded library tables for open fields. And tried her best not to miss them.

On her birthday she found another snowy tiger resting on her desk, on top of a pile of new stationery all in pink and white. Covered in paw prints. The card read “look after yourself, Tiger. Happy Birthday” In an unfamiliar scrawl that she was fairly sure was Justin’s. The only time she’d seen him write was to sign his name. She broke down crying right there and then. It took her another two weeks to realise that Justin was back in her class this year. But he was sitting two rows behind her, even though his normal seat sat empty.

It got easier with time, though she could feel Justin’s worried eyes on her every class. She started finding food in her bag when she hadn’t had time to make lunch. And even when she had. It was a startling reminder of Justin’s pickpocketing skills. When it had been a particularly bad fight, and the Power hadn’t fully healed her, it was painkillers instead.

The day after she found her elephant Zord, there was a cuddly pink elephant plushie in her bag when she got home. She probably should have got suspicious at that point.

She found herself writing more and more with Justin’s blue pen, the only tribute she could make to the friend that was supporting her, even if he didn’t know what it was for. Just like she had for him.

Zen-Aku showed up in the middle of October, and she was a broken mess all through midterms. She passed, somehow, and Justin managed to wrangle himself as her partner for the projects for the rest of the year.

Come November, Merrick had joined the team. He might not want their help, but by now Alyssa had practice looking after friends who didn’t want to talk, who’s eyes were haunted and hid from those around them. So she looked after him the same way she had Justin and Fred, with quiet words, and unspoken gestures.

When the New Year rolled around this time, she was floating above the world on the Animeria with her team, and their wild zords. It was a truly magical night, and she forced herself to live in the moment as she tried to stop the joy from turning bitter sweet with comparisons to the previous year.

 

Still despite everything, even she couldn’t miss the change that came over Justin in the new year. For a start, he wasn’t there when college started back, secondly, he was missing his left arm. He had replaced it with a mechanical one that looked like something out of star wars, but that didn’t change the injury, nor the fresh puckered pink scar that sliced over his right eye. An eye that was fresh ablaze with fury and anger. Fred had turned into his constant shadow. She did her best to try and reconnect, but Fred turned her away with sadness in his eyes and a shake of his head. It didn’t take her long to find out Silvy hadn’t been by recently either.

 

But then the mutants showed up, and Zen-Aku, and Kite. Soon Alyssa found she couldn’t even keep up with her course work, never mind her friends. When she showed up to find she had been supposed to have finished a project, and present it today, and she hadn’t even started it, she almost left university. To her surprise, Justin handed her a set of notes and started the Power Point, bantering off her as though they’d written the whole thing together.

She’d hugged him after, and thanked him profusely. He’d just shrugged. That’s what friends are for. And it felt so much like that first year in reverse. She found lecture notes in her bag for things she’d missed. Excuses she hadn’t had time to make submitted. The day before an essay was due, as she stared at it un-started, for once back in the library, she considered handing in her withdrawal again. Only for Fred to drop down beside her, a pile of papers landing on top of her note book. As she turned to glare at him, he held up his hands in surrender. “From Justin” he explained. “It’s not the essay, just all the stuff you need to put in it.” He quirked that smile of his. “Hey, we all have rough patches, you helped us with ours, let us help you.” She opened her mouth to argue but he spoke before she could. “Please, helping you is helping Justin. This is the most productive he’s been with something that wasn’t destructive in months.” And she couldn’t really argue with that.

“Tell him thank you for me?”

“Of course.”

“And thank you, Fred.”

“Hey, don’t mention it, Tiger.” He stood up and squeezed her shoulder. “Never give up, right?”

And then he as gone.

She really should have seen it then.

 

When Coal disappeared on that mission with ten other red rangers, she really should have considered it.

 

Instead it wasn’t until graduation. Until Coal’s surprised “Tommy, TJ!” As they wove around to meet Justin’s family. Coal’s introduction, where he started and trailed off, obviously unsure how to put it without revealing things that shouldn’t be, and Justin tilted his head to the side and grinned.

“Alyssa, this is my Guardian and original Red, Tommy. And my current T.J. Guys this is the Tiger, Alyssa. And she’s been really messing with the betting rules on colour.”

And that summer, when she formally met the others, Silvy in Green, Fred in Gold, K’ in Blue, she finally understood. She hadn’t been substituting one family of friends for another, she’d merely been expanding.

And she was there, waiting with the others, the day that Cam finally claimed green.


End file.
